The penthouse was silent when Jason returned.
Too silent.
The kind of silence that made thoughts louder.
He loosened his tie slowly as he walked in, his mind replaying every second from the rooftop.
Adrian’s voice.
That calm threat.
The flash drive still sitting heavily in his hand.
Vanessa stood near the bar, pouring herself another glass of wine like nothing had happened.
But the moment she saw Jason—
Her chest tightened.
Fear flickered.
Just for a second.
Because for a moment back there…
She thought Adrian knew everything.
Not just about the media.
But about her.
About how carefully she had been controlling Jason from the beginning.
But now—
Jason was back.
And she needed to know.
“What did he give you?” she asked casually, masking the tension beneath her voice.
Jas
